Breaking Down
by PrettyLittleWriter29
Summary: " I cant make you forget what happened and I honestly don't think you should even try to. These things happen, and you deal with the issue... One day at a time. One thought at a time ".


**So...I always wonder about Caleb's family & I am really excited for the second half of Season 3, I want to know more about his background!**

**Did you all like the Halloween episode? You know I loved it! **

**This IS a one off but you could consider Aftermath Of Lies, this one & The Long Way Home one big continuation. - Which yes I am working on The Long Way Home just so you know. **

**Anyways I'll leave this here...**

* * *

It was late Saturday afternoon when Caleb finished his third essay, slamming the text book shut he stood from his seat & looked out the window at the ocean in the distance.

Never would he have imagined living in home such as this with its high ceilings, massive living space & bathrooms, views of the ocean & a family who cared about him so much. Gone were the days of dilapidated homes & torn second hand furniture, hand me down clothes & being alert twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Times had changed & even though he was temporarily living with his mother, a part of him still missed Rosewood.

Not the town or its people but her. He missed seeing her everyday, he missed her smile, her jokes and that infectious laugh, but most of all he missed how intimate they were. Hanna was a sore spot, he couldn't help but love her, she'd been his rock for the past year just like he'd been there for her.

With his hands resting atop of his head Caleb arched his back. It had been hours since he moved from his chair. He left his room only for bottled water maybe a sandwich but nothing else. Caleb was depressed, and no amount of playing happy families was going to make him feel better.

He turned around when he heard a knock on the door & the sweetest voice he'd come to know...other then Hanna's.

" Caleb?...William & the boys are going for Pizza. Would you like to go for a drive? " His mother asked stepping into the room.

Caleb gave a weak smile but declined her offer.

" No thanks Mom. I'm not really hungry ".

His mother slowly walked over to his bed & sat down. It had been a few days since the accident, she was still suffering from dizziness after hitting her head on the steering wheel.

" Caleb...Is something wrong? You've been very quiet since you arrived " She looked at him and patted the mattress next to her.

" It's nothing Mom " he shook his head tightening his arms across his chest. " I don't want you to worry anymore then you have to. You have a lot on your plate right now " He said concerned.

" Caleb if a mother can't tell what is wrong with her own child then... " She said before Caleb interrupted her.

" Really Mom, it's nothing. I just have a lot on my mind. I have a lot of school work to do and... " this time it was her who finished his sentence.

" And what?. You can tell me Caleb " His mother pleaded with him. " Is it Hanna? Did the two of you have a fight? " She reached for his hand.

Caleb sat on the other side of the bed with his back to her looking out the window. Sighing, he didn't want to openly admit how sad he really was. He rolled his lip and twiddled his thumbs repeatedly.

_Where on earth would I even begin?_ He thought.

Over the years he'd learnt to protect himself, bottling up his emotions he couldn't trust anyone. There was no one he could confide, until he met her. But now everything was a complete mess.

" Mom... " he hesitated, he couldn't bring himself to tell her what he'd done. How much he hurt her but also how much she'd hurt him. " I uh...I really need to finish reading this book " he reached over grabbing a book from the table and held it mid air.

Claudia knew he was shutting her out, she understood perfectly well why he felt this way and why it was hard for him to open up. He was a teenage boy with a heavy heart.

She stood from his bed & walked around to where he sat placing a kiss atop his head. Caleb closed his eyes at the touch of her lips on his head, her affection made him feel even more guilt.

" I'll be downstairs if you want to talk " she said walking toward the door.

" Thanks Mom... But I just need to finish this " he held the book up to his face reading where he left off. She turned around watching as he buried his emotions in the book. She wished there was something she could do to take away what ever the cause of his pain was but being the teenage boy that he was, the better choice was give him space rather then push for more.

When the door closed Caleb threw the book on the floor dropping his head. He rubbed his eyes & wished to god that someone could make him forget. It was too much for this teenager to handle. His life wasn't meant to be this complicated.  
It was suppose to be smooth sailing from here on out. He found his mother & he had the girl of his dreams but he still couldn't find a balance between the two.

Laying his head on the pillow he stared at the ceiling above. With each blink his eyes became heavier, until eventually he fell asleep. Waking hours later in the darkness he rolled over wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, he reached out to the side table feeling for his phone, forgetting that it had been days since he turned it on.

When his phone turned on it began buzzing immediately. A sudden rush of text messages and missed calls from Hanna began flooding in. He quickly looked at the time and then turned his phone off again throwing it on the floor. He wasn't ready to read all her pleas & excuses why she'd been lying to him.

Sitting on the edge of the bed rubbing his eyes, he didn't feel any better. He stepped out of his room & walked down the hall smiling weakly when he heard snoring coming from Clay's room. Caleb continued tip toeing along the hall & down the stairs. When he reached the bottom he stuck his head around the corner & saw his mother curled up under a blanket watching the late news.

" Hey..." he said quietly shuffling into the room. She turned her head & shifted on the couch making room for him.

" It's ok Mom...stay " he sat on the chair opposite her.

" Did you sleep well? " She asked. Caleb shrugged his shoulders and stared at the floor below.

" Not really. Still pretty tired...just came down for a drink. I have so much to catch up on ". What a lie that was.

She saw right through him. There was more to the story then just school work, something was wrong with her son, she had to know what was making him so miserable.

" Caleb, I know how hard it is for you to travel between here & Rosewood, but something is bothering you ". Caleb rubbed his forehead in frustration. She really wasn't going to let up on this. First in his room and now here. Why couldn't she just understand he didn't want to talk about it? He wasn't the sharing & caring kind.

" Its nothing Mom really. I'm just...I don't want to fall behind...My grades are- ". she stopped him.

" Just fine. I've checked " she tilted her head sideways. " Talk to me " she reached for his hand. " What ever is said between us stays between us. I promise " she reassured him.

Caleb looked up at his mother, she was practically begging him.

_What would she think of Hanna if she knew she'd been lying to her son? Would she think any less of her? Would she stop him from seeing her? Would she remove him from Rosewood now there was no one there to keep him there? Or would she respect their privacy and let them work through their issues?_ So many thoughts ran through his head.

" Please Caleb " she insisted. Caleb stood & walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge door he grabbed a cold soda. His mother sighed on the couch. Her son was more stubborn then she thought. Defeated for now, she figured she may as well call it a night. Folding the blanket over the arm rest she carefully stood up & exited the room.

She was half way up the stairs when his voice stopped her.

" I broke up with Hanna ". When she turned around he hung his head low and flexed his jaw. " We uh..." he tugged at his sleeves. " There wasn't any trust. I told her I couldn't be with her anymore & I just…left ".

" Oh sweetheart... I am so sorry " she said walking back down the stairs to meet him. " Come 'ere " wrapping her arms around his body she held him close. He didn't return the embrace, instead he kept his arms beside him & shrugged.

" Maybe it's better this way... ". She could hear the pain in his voice. She turned around and sat on the third step patting the space next to her.

" Come. Sit down " she tugged at his fingers - Stubbornness was definitely a Rivers trait - just like his father. He sat beside her hanging his head. It was a minute or two before he looked to her.

" So…" He searched for answers. Something. Anything.

" Sooo..." She extended the less then there response.

" That's all there is " he said.

" Do you love her? "

" Of course I do " he said quickly. He wouldn't be this depressed if he didn't love her. " Too much ".

" Have you spoken to her since you left Rosewood? " Caleb simply shook his head. Nope. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nothing. He didn't tell her he was leaving nor did he send a email, text or leave a note. Nothing to her friends or to his landlord he just snuck out of town without a word.

" I can't " he whispered. She reached over wrapping one arm around his shoulder and squeezed him. This was unfamiliar territory. She was trying to tread as delicately as possible, without saying the wrong thing.

" I wish there was something I could do Caleb, but I cant. I cant make you forget what happened and I honestly don't think you should even try to. These things happen, and you deal with the issue... One day at a time. One thought at a time ".

He smiled weakly. It was exactly what he needed to hear.

" I'm sorry Mom " he looked up at her.

" Its ok. You have your reasons. I get that " she nudged him. " What do you say… Tomorrow?. You & I spend the day together? "

" As in? " he wondered. There was no way in hell he was sitting in a mud bath whilst someone gave him a mani-pedi-facial-massage whatever the hell these women in Montecito do on their days off.

" As in you & I go shopping, not for me but for you. We could buy some clothes maybe even a new phone…and a bite to eat. We haven't done that lately, at least not just the two of us "

How could he refuse those brown eyes of hers? So gentle & protective. Almost like his own.

" Ok Mom " he nodded & smiled.

" Great! " She patted his knee Using the rail for support she pulled herself up & walked to her room, calling out to him over her shoulder.

" Good night Caleb "

" Night Mom " he said returning to his room too.


End file.
